Utility carts have long been used to haul equipment and other articles from one place to another. Generally, such carts include a tub in which the articles to be carried are placed, a drawbar or handle for pulling the cart, a latch mechanism for securing the tub to the drawbar or handle, and at least two wheels attached to an axle positioned below the tub. Commonly, these carts are moved by pulling them with a vehicle, such as a tractor, or by less powerful methods such as man power.
Most utility carts have been made of wood, metal or plastic. Wood carts are generally less sturdy than metal or plastic carts, and are more susceptible to cracking, chipping, or otherwise being damaged during use. Moreover, the roughness of the wood may cause splinters and other injuries not found with carts of other materials.
While metal carts have long been used for their strength and heavy duty load capacity, they also have disadvantages. For instance, these carts are susceptible to corrosion, may be dented easily, and usually are more expensive than other carts.
Plastic carts have recently gained acceptance in replacing these metal and wood carts. They are easily cleaned, do not corrode or rot like metal or wood, respectively, and are lighter and less expensive than other carts. However, one disadvantage of these type of carts has been that they cannot carry a great deal of weight. It is desirable for heavy duty utility carts to be able to carry up to at least 1000 pounds. When this much weight is added to plastic utility carts of the prior art, they are susceptible to breaking down and may crack under the strain, or the latch may disengage as discussed hereinbelow.
One practical aspect of these carts is that the tub may be pivoted around the axle of the cart so as to provide a dumping capability. This is commonly done by manipulating a latch such that the tub may be disengaged from the drawbar and rotated vertically to dump its contents out the rear of the cart.
In the past, the latch mechanisms employed to secure the tub to the drawbar have been, to say the least, somewhat difficult to operate. For example, one particular latch mechanism is operated by lifting a lever received within a housing. When the lever is lifted, a catch operatively attached thereto, releases a downward extending arm projecting from the tub which is being unlatched. Inasmuch as these prior latches generally protrude upwardly and outwardly from the drawbar and tub, the risk of injury to those who use the cart, as well as children who are around the cart, is significant. A latch which is at least flush with the tub of the cart or recessed within the tub of the cart would be highly desirable. The prior art latches also have a tendency to open if too much weight is placed toward the rear of the tub. In such situations, the tub will become disengaged from the drawbar spilling the contents thereof. Such an occurrence could also cause serious injury.
Therefore, the need exists for a cart which can hold up to at least 1000 pounds and which includes a latch which will not disengage from the tub of the cart upon placing a significant amount of weight in the tub, but rather will be more forcefully secured to the tub upon placing the load therein.